A Forsyth County teen with autism watches professional hockey

My mother and brother shouted and said to them, “Get up from my child. It’s not fair. There was no call. He took me from hockey for three or four years,” Daniel said.

Daniel spent that time experimenting with other sports. He tried his hand at baseball, basketball and lacrosse, but Daniel always felt like a natural hockey player.

He said that when he plays hockey, he feels like no one is judging him for his disability, just his skill on the ice.

Daniel went back to sports in high school. He played for the Georgian Student Hockey League Forsyth, and in the 2020-21 academic year, he was named the best offensive player in Division A. Daniel scored 28 points 14 goals, 14 assists and scored two goals in six different situations.

I knew this was my last year, he said. In my second year and younger years, I only had five, six, or seven points.

Meanwhile, Daniel found his time in the classroom challenging.

When I see something misspelled or misspelled in a sentence or problem, I understand it, Daniel said. I can’t even do that problem. I can’t even think of A, B, C or D. I have to fix it myself.

In addition to Daniel staying on course assignments, Daniel faced bullying because of his disability, and he said his Tourette caught fire and people would say, What’s that noise, then turn around and look at him and tell him to be quiet.

I went to school for the first two weeks, but then I had panic attacks and very bad anxiety, Daniel said. I would stay in the car and be like mom, I can’t go to the classroom. I just can’t do it.

This is one reason why Daniel is going to study health care and exercise at Georgia State University, become a coach or exercise teacher, and help young people like him.

Daniel thought of his time as a hockey player when high school ended, but he decided to contact a few junior coaches in the Northeast.

Eventually, he heard from the coach with the Boston Junior Bruins, who asked if he would be interested in coming to Marlborough, Mass., To see if he would fit.

This was the same day we found out he came to Georgia State University, Stacie said. Everything was full of one and I was like, Oh God. What do we do now?

I was in tears, Daniel said. That was a lot.

Daniels ’goal is to play in the National Hockey League, and playing in the junior league would put him in the right direction.

The team plays 56 match schedules and sets aside time for training, strength training and studying.

Stacie said it will also require $ 7,000 down and an additional $ 3,000 to be paid over eight months. He hopes the GoFundMe account can generate revenue to send Daniel to Massachusetts.

It has always been his goal in life, Stacie said. That’s what he’s always wanted to do, be a hockey player. And I’m like: Well, you have to choose something else. You don’t know what’s going on.

Daniel isn’t sure what’s going on, but he’s sure of one thing.

You just have to try, Daniel said. If you don’t try, you don’t know 100 percent. You can be the best or the worst. As long as you try, you can set yourself a goal and move on step by step.